Snapshots of Christmas Past
by Paperhorse108
Summary: Miyamoto's last Christmas with her daughter, Jessie. Written for Bulbagarden's Christmas contest.


Snapshots of Christmas Past

"Mommy, I'm cold."

Miyamoto glanced up from the newspaper she was reading, and looked at her daughter. Jessie sat close to the fire, wrapped in a pink shawl. The fire barely kept the small little apartment warm, and Miyamoto covered all the windows to keep the cold air out. The lack of light in the apartment caused a gloomy environment.

"I know, sweetheart, but they're going to turn on the heat back on soon, I promise." Jessie said nothing and scooted closer to the fire, clutching her stuffed Pikachu to her chest. Miyamoto rose from her chair and walked over to the radio. "Maybe some Christmas music will cheer you up," she said. She fiddled with the radio until the soft tunes of familiar Christmas music floated throughout the room.

Jessie jumped up excitedly, and starting dancing to the music. She was an energetic five-year old and couldn't sit still for long. Miyamoto laughed as she took her daughter's hands and swung her around the apartment. Despite the chilly temperatures, this warmed the mother and daughter up considerably, and eventually they both collapsed on the floor in fits of giggles.

"Mommy, guess what?" Jessie said, covering her mouth to stop from laughing.

"I don't know- what?" Miyamoto guessed.

"Santa is going to come soon!" Jessie shrieked, throwing her hands up in the air.

Miyamoto's heart sank. She didn't have the heart to tell Jessie that Santa wasn't going to bring her anything this year. How do you explain to a child that you can't afford it? Miyamoto stared back into Jessie's shining eyes and nodded, pulling her daughter into a hug.

Later that night, Miyamoto felt the heat ooze into the apartment. She let a sigh of relief—The electric company had gotten her payment, after all.

__________

"We have a new mission for you, Miyamoto."

Miyamoto sat cramped in a phone booth, listening attentively to the woman on the other end of the phone.

"I'll do anything, ma'am." Miyamoto whispered breathlessly.

"You were able to distinguish the sound of Mew on that tape. Your mission is to travel the Andes Mountains, with two other members, and try to find it. You leave the day after Christmas." Miyamoto cringed. She did not want to leave Jessie behind. This mission was dangerous and it could take weeks to complete.

"Miyamoto? Do I make myself clear?" asked Madame Boss.

Miyamoto was silent for a moment. She desperately needed the money. She thought of Jessie; she hated leaving her behind because she loved Jessie more than anything, and never wanted to be away from her. But if she accepted the mission, she would certainly make a lot of money, and she could buy Jessie anything she needed. Plus, Miyamoto couldn't help but feel a tingle of excitement about the mission. Mew was legendary, if she found it—

"Miyamoto! Are you still there?" came the voice from the other end, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yes!" Miyamoto answered, "I accept the mission…"

Ever since Jessie was born, it had always been just the two of them. But Miyamoto wouldn't have it any other way; she preferred only Jessie's company. Miyamoto vowed to devote her life to her daughter and do anything to make her happy. She joined Team Rocket because she thought it was the best option for her to make a living.

__________

It was Christmas Eve, and Miyamoto was pacing around the apartment. She nervously played with her earrings and bit her lip. _What if he doesn't show up? _She thought nervously. If he didn't show up, she wouldn't know what to tell Jessie. She sent an exhilarated Jessie to bed an hour ago; the young girl wanted to wait up for Santa, but Miyamoto was able to coax her to sleep.

There was a knock on the door. Miyamoto hurried to open it, hoping it wouldn't wake the girl. At the door stood a young man in his early twenties, carrying a small bag of wrapped gifts. Miyamoto let out a small sigh of relief.

"Thank you so much for bringing the gifts—"she started to say.

"They're from my mother," the young man answered. He shoved them into Miyamoto's arms and started to walk away.

"Wait!" Miyamoto cried. "Thank your mother for me, Giovanni, she is so kind."

Giovanni smirked. "My mother is always kind to her favorite Rocket agents-- maybe too kind." He abruptly turned around and headed to his car. Miyamoto closed the door quickly and laid the gifts under their small tree. She smiled; Team Rocket always came through for her.

__________

"Wow, Mommy, a doll!" Jessie hugged the little doll to her chest.

"He could be best friends with your pikachu," Miyamoto responded. Jessie lay down the little doll next to her stuffed pikachu. They made a quirky pair. "One day I'm going to catch a real pikachu, and other pokemon too." She said.

"Is that what you want to be when you grow up?" Miyamoto asked, "a trainer?"

"No, I want to be a dancer and an actress!" Jessie said happily. The kettle on the stove whistled, and Miyamoto briskly walked into the kitchen to turn it off. Miyamoto was happy this morning, but she felt a knot in her stomach. She hadn't told Jessie that she was leaving tomorrow. She didn't know how to tell her without making her scared. She poured two cups of hot chocolate and brought them back to the main room.

__________

"You're leaving me?" Jessie's eyes filled with tears.

"No, no! Only for a few weeks." Miyamoto tried to reassure her daughter. "I'll be back before you know it."

"But- but what about me?" Jessie's lip was trembling.

Guilt surged through Miyamoto's body. _I wish I could make her understand that I'm doing this for her,_ she thought, Miyamoto placed a gentle hand on Jessie's shoulder.

"I'm going to be looking for a special type of pokemon. If I find it, I'll bring it back for you."

Jessie's eyes brightened. "You will?" she squeaked. "Can you bring back a pikachu too?"

"I'll try, but I can't promise you," Miyamoto answered. Regardless of her answer, Jessie smiled. "You'll be staying with Andrea, until I come back." Miyamoto said. She paused for a moment. "Listen, Jessie, I promise when I get back things will be better." Miyamoto said that more to herself than Jessie, but Jessie nodded in agreement anyway. Miyamoto hugged her daughter tightly, "We'll be together, always."

__________

Madame Boss stood with her hands on her hips with her back to her son. She stared out the window at the snow-covered ground, watching two Pidgeys collect sticks for their nests.

Giovanni spoke first. "I think we need to move on, she's not coming back." His mother didn't answer and continued staring straight ahead.

"What are we going to do about the kid?" he asked. "Miyamoto's friend, err- Andrea, doesn't want her." Giovanni shifted uncomfortably.

Madame Boss finally answered. "I don't know." Giovanni sat down at his mother's desk. "She knew the risks, mother," he said, flatly.

Madame Boss whipped around and faced her son. "I lost one of my best agents," she quipped. "Don't try to make this seem like no big deal."

Giovanni stood up in anger. "I wasn't trying-"

"GET OUT!" His mother shouted.

Giovanni sulked out her office, muttering indistinguishable words under his breath.

__________

"Where's Mommy?"

The young social worker squatted down to Jessie's height and looked at her kindly. "We can't find her right now, but we're looking for her," she said.

"Is she dead?" Jessie asked, trembling.

The social worker pursed her lips and ran her fingers through her green hair. "We just can't find her right now, but we're going to take you to a nice home until we can," she answered.

Jessie pouted. "I don't want to go."

The social worker smiled gently. "But, Jessie, They will be so disappointed if you don't go." She paused and noticed Jessie was carrying a stuffed pikachu in one hand, and a doll in another. "They have lots of toys for you to play with, and they have a pet pokemon."

Jessie's eyes widened. "Which one?" she asked, interested.

"You'll have to meet them to find out."

Jessie looked down at her toys, thinking. "Okay," she said, after awhile. The social worker smiled, and guided Jessie by the hand to meet her first foster family.


End file.
